Topic: CB550 - Issues for beginning rider - Help please!

[Koonendez]

Awesome. Thanks for the info. I'm going to return the stripper and take the sand paper route instead. I'm also going to add a step right before the actual first layer of paint goes on which is to wipe away the entire surface using a lint-free towel with some rubbing alcohol to remove any unwanted particles on the tank.

Sound about right?

[trueblue]

Close. Use a Base a coat Tack cloth. You can but them at quality paint stores that support auto paint and body shops.

Don't use isopropyl alcohol. If you must (because you can't find tack cloths) use alcohol, only use Denatured Alcohol. Don't use Acetone it will destroy the under layers.

Over here we have a product called prepsol, it is specifically for removing wax and grease before painting.  Also really good for cleaning out carbs .  Just use two rags, and a bit of advice from Mr Miyagi, wax on, wax off. 

[Koonendez]

Ok interesting observation today. Before I took off tank and disconnected the gas lines from the carbs I ran the bike with the petcock off to suck the carbs dry for removal.

Working on bike right now and drained the carbs to pull them off with the drain plug and noticed that carbs 4 and 3 both had gas in them still with very little debris in 3 and definitely some rust debris in the 4th carb. But carbs 1 and 2 were completely dry when I unscrewed drain plugs. Any idea why that is? Pulling off carbs right now. Here are shots of 3 and 4's drained gas





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[strynboen]

you must thek the flots..and gas valvets...are they open and close as you move the flots vith a finger....make a test stand vith the tank high and kaburettors in a bentch...ant try to work it through....let fuel aut of the drain..and see if it fills  the thamper proper up. and not overfill..clear overflov pipes are nice to thek for floth height inside ..

[Koonendez]

Carbs were just pulled off and I'm already set on taking them apart, figure out what's inside of them and give them a full cleaning.

Was wondering if I need to change these carb boots and was hoping to hear what you guys thought of the condition of these. Originally was going to buy new ones since carbs are already off but I gave up trying to remove them after the 1st one came off cause the rest were not budging.






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[Bankerdanny]

Those look like they should be replaced. Fortunately they aren't expensive.

When putting them on and taking them off you should use some heat (I use a hair dryer). Softing the rubber makes a huge difference.

[Koonendez]

Damnit did not want to deal with taking them off the intake manifold, but I guess since I'm going to replace them I can just cut them right off with a utility knife. Anyone know a good link for step by step process for giving my carbs a good clean?

[Maurice]

Reason you can't take them off is the same that should make you replace them: they're hard as bricks by now. You should really have done the intake leak test before starting to take things apart, now some of the things you may have to re-do afterwards...

Leak test with WD-40: spray some directly on where boots end (fore/aft of boot) and notice drop or change in RPM, means intake leak. You can also use carb cleaner, likely makes RPM go up as it's flammable, or BBQ gas lighter (preferably, off of course, just let the gas out) for same effect.

Can't help with cleaning those carbs, mine are all PD type. google is your friend, use queries like: "site:sohc4.net cb550 carb cleaning" for example, refine as you go. It's not rocket science, take pics and your time and never force anything. If lots of force is required the part likely does not come out that way (i.e, pressed in vs. screwed etc.).

[Koonendez]

Thanks Maurice...I'm going to rip them off and replace them with new boots once I'm ready to put carbs back on. Leak test would've been good, but replacing altogether seems like a good idea anyhow as I don't know the age of the boots to begin with.

I've got a bid online for a replacement stock airbox, but I know for certain that it'll be missing some of the little hardware bits that I'll be struggling to find online.

Would it be a bad idea to leave the entire rack of carbs in some Simple Green and water in a bucket over the next 24 hours? Also, where can I order new rubber bits for my carbs without having to buy a rebuild kit as I'd like to use all the original parts if possible after a good thorough cleaning. Hoping to find a site where I can order carb boots, o-rings, and rubber bits all for the carbs on same site. Thanks in advance

[Maurice]

Your carbs don't look like they'd warrant a simple green treatment. I've used the pine-sol method on some VERY nasty carbs (butterfly plates stuck, slides stuck, all orifices clogged) but that wasn't fun and stunk like a mofo. Simple green and such might eat away at the aluminum.

You may want to look into the chem-dip bucket, it's like a gallon can you buy at auto stores and even has a deep-fryer like basket to dip stuff. Warning: it liquefies anything rubber.

If you're methodical and take your time, just stick with the ol' can of carb cleaner and compressed air (always hold small pieces firmly, don't ask...).

For the airbox, it looks like you have the essential pieces. If you want you can just stick some filter behind the plenum. I've ghettoed together some ABS and a 3"x5" UNI filter (will take some pics soon) and it works really well for me.

Something like this (credit user nvr2old):

[Koonendez]

Pheww...thanks for quick reply. I will NOT be soaking the entire rack in Simple Green anymore! I guess I'll just give them a good wipe down and start breaking them down asap.

I will not lie, but I am extremely nervous about taking these carbs apart. So far I only have a few references including this video I found on YouTube

Carburetor Cleaning and Repair

And a Clymer manual, and a blown up diagram that I found on another thread which is as difficult to read for a novice mechanic. I don't know to what extent I should be taking them apart, but will follow what I've seen so far. I wish there was a nice "cleaning step by step guide" that I could easily follow. Wish me a lot of luck in this process!

[Maurice]

Do 1 at a time. Your bike is running, so I suggest not to separate the carbs from each other (the fuel lines between carbs don't leak, right?). THAT would make it a lot harder but still not brain surgery either.

Just remove all bits, jets, emulsion tubes, screws, etc. and blow carb cleaner/compressed air through all the passages. Pay extra attention to the emulsion tubes, I think there's 1 for pilot and 1 for mains, they have tiny holes through them and they need to be clear. Never use anything harder than brass to clean them or you'll enlarge the holes those things are easily dinged. Your bike looks more like it needs tuning than actual cleaning, as seen from this end of the internet of course, so...

Try this for rubber bits, the "gasket kit".

If you're nervous now, wait until you start taking apart that motor

[Bankerdanny]

There's no special trick to cleaning them.

Remove the jets and emulsion tubes (a small wooden dowel can be used to tap the tubes out tapping down wards from where the slides fit into the carbs) and soak in carb cleaner. I use guitar e-string to clean the jets, but be gentle, you don't want to enlarge the holes, just clean the dried and gunky fuel out. You should be able to get some scraps for free from your local shop.

[goldarrow]

Wooden dowel=chopstick

[Maurice]

I don't have access to E guitar strings, so I use copper strands from flexible electrical wires.

[Bankerdanny]

I find that copper wire is too soft and bends too easily.

[Vinhead1957]

I use a welders tip cleaner

[Joemetal861]

Torch tip cleaners work as said above. They are cheap and can get at any welding store like airgas.
As for the string you want a high E string preferably off a set of "10's"


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[Koonendez]

Guys I took off the petcock to put in some Prep and Etch and the only thing that came out was the petcock and a long plastic tube but I'm not seeing any filter of some sort. Is there something else in there to remove before putting in the rust remover?


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[TwoTired]

The stock bike has a plastic strainer pushed into the tank bung that surrounds the stand pipe (long plastic tube).  It can be a #$%* to remove intact, particularly if rust has formed on the metal of the tank bung, wedging the nylon filter in place.

Ham hands usually destroy the filter trying to remove it.  What's the bike's history?  Either you haven't looked closely in the tank bung opening, or someone has already removed it for you.

[Koonendez]

Seems like someone must've removed it. All that came out was this...



Just plugged up the hole with a rubber stopper and filled the tank with Prep & Etch


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[Koonendez]

I'm assuming I should probably replace the petcock altogether as I imagine that filter was a necessary piece to the puzzle


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[Koonendez]

I should mention that that entire piece came out very easily if that helos


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[TwoTired]

Seems like someone must've removed it. All that came out was this...

You're in denial.
The stock in tank filter never falls out when removing the fuel tap.

Good luck!

You can replace the filter screen without replacing the fuel tap.
Learn to drill down in parts diagrams like from:  http://www.cmsnl.com/

[Koonendez]

Damnit. Didn't think to probe all the way inside of the hole assuming if there was a piece in there I wouldn't be able to remove it. Not to mention there was no fighting to pull the tube out.

Seems like it would've been a piece I would probably want to have replaced anyhow considering the age of the parts and the crud that must be built up on it.

How in the world do I remove that piece out after emptying out the Prep & Etch? And more importantly, insert the replacement in tank filter when the part arrives?

I assume the "fuel tap" is the piece I removed?